Poor Merglobth came to check on us, only to find us having already made up and discussing ways I could better my [Spells] and [Skills], while also thinking about ideas for designing new ones. He quickly caught on that we were doing fine, so he slithered away, only to come back a while later with a tray of assorted food, and leave once more.

We were distractedly munching on some random grub, when Sheeno commented on something.

“You know those ivory cubic things that shoot stuff while flying?”

“[Flying Trappers]”, I said, and gestured for her to continue.

“Yes, those. Well, they worked much better than your other stuff, which made me think that maybe it was a later creation, one made after testing your [Spell-Weaving] on the others”, she continued.

“Yeah? Well, kind of”, I answered non committedly, not wanting to explain that they were born from an accident.

“Well, couldn’t you just make the previous ones from scratch while modeling them after this latest achievement? That seems like the easiest solution”, she finished her line of thought.

“I mean, you’re right, but what do you mean with ‘make them from scratch’?”

“You know, asking the [System] to purge the previous [Matrix] from your [Status], so you have that ‘slot’ available once more, so you can use it again to remake the same thing, but better”, she explained.

Ah, yes, the ‘slots’, these things that are supposed to limit the number of things ([Traits], [Abilities], [Spells], and [Skills]) one can have. A number that I have never been able to find, nor approach, even with [Buddy]’s help. Even back when I first started learning from the books Undine gave me, or the lesson Eddd tried to impose on me, the mythical ‘slots’ were only briefly mentioned, as if someone was already supposed to know about them; but for me, they were yet another thing that made me ‘not normal’.

These ‘slots’ were determined by both [Race] and [Class], and some [Jobs] could also influence the number. A ‘normal’ person had around 20 ‘slots’, with their quantity of [Mana] directly influencing how many slots one actually got: You got a large [Mana pool]? You get more than 20. You have a pitiful capacity, and just swing around your muscles? You get less.

And you knew how many you had, because everything ‘weighted’ on you like a physical thing, with [Traits] being relatively light, and [Abilities] being the heaviest.

Returning to our original point, I had another thing that made me even more ‘unique’: My [Modify].

One, as already stated, was meant to ‘delete’ a [Spell], or [Skill], before being able to make a new and better version of it anew; but I just circumvented all that assle by changing the structure of the one I already had.

“I was already thinking about that, and I guess I could get started on it now”, I responded without telling Sheeno about my inner monologue.

“And while you do that, start thinking about how to better support your [constructs], because, as of now, you practically don’t.”

I cringed at her harsh words, but I could do little other than reply “sure”.

* * *

I started my [Spell-Weaving] session while Sheeno was still in the room, and went on to [Modify] every ‘automaton’ I had by adding [Adaptabily] as one of their [Traits].

The icy amazon stayed long enough to verify that I was truly working on it, before leaving, probably to catch up with Merglobth, but not before explaining that in this room I could lower the ‘ambient mana pollution’ with a small lever on the wall, in case I wanted to see my weaving more directly. The fact that she felt that it was necessary to check whether I did the work only slightly annoyed me, but I knew that she meant well, and that last bit of help really helped, so I let it pass.

Outside of that, I also decided to relent on some of the control I always tried to input into my weaving, by seeing what would happen when I removed the idea of a strict choice in the material in the [Matrix], and the result was inconclusive: Yes, some [construct] gained pieces of organic material, normally it was bone, but what I originally envisioned as metal remained so, only acquiring a more ‘opaque shade’ in the case of mithril, almost reminiscent of the Damascus mithril on the end of my staff.

Overall, my overhaul was satisfactory: [Kenny] even got two tiny arms out of this, for some reason.

You have successfully modified a [Spell]:

Kenny, the lantern:

(Spell; familiar; Adaptability)

Summon a magical lantern familiar, armed with two proportionate claws, capable of emitting a controllable amount of light from any of its faces, and able of sustaining itself on ambient Mana.

Durability of its body, and potency of its light, are proportional to the MP used during the summoning, or subsequently provided to it.

Affinity of the emitted light is interchangeable based on circumstances.

If anything, the description seemed much more rounded out, compared to how it originally was.

That last bit about being able to ‘change’ also appeared in other forms on my other [constructs], making it clear that this [Trait] of my [Race] really was compatible with a lot of things other than ourselves. To prove this point, I even tried to implement other [Traits] into the [Matrixes], but it either caused a collapse, or simply nothing happened.

“Maybe, just maybe, the [Trait] itself is capable of adapting to its host?”

But maybe the most surprising thing happened when I got the idea of changing [Repair] from a [Spell] into a [Skill].

Was it even possible to begin with? Not that it mattered, the impossible hasn’t stopped me from accomplishing anything yet.

What I found surprising, tho, was that the part of the [Matrix] that marked it as a [Spell] was ‘burned out’ and replaced by a process that was almost automated by the [Sistem]. Which I was grateful for, since I didn’t know how I would handle another [Aether]-related revelation.

“At first the [System] fought me any time I tried to [Modify] a [Matrix], and now it does it for me? That’s freaking weird.”

You have successfully modified a [ERROR]:

Repair:

(Skill; targeted; Adaptability)

Restores a target to optimal conditions, by heightening regeneration, recovery, and recuperation, while also generating matter to repair, or replace, missing and damaged parts.

Goes beyond basic enhanced regeneration when used with Mana.

Speed of recovery is proportional to the amount of MP provided during the casting, or subsequently provided.

This type of Heal is capable of circumventing any impediment by adapting to it.

It was made maybe even weirder by the [ERROR] I got, since I never got one before, no matter what I did, outside of when the [System] had detected me for the first time.

I decided to save the topic for another time, putting it in the list of ‘troublesome topics that are better saved for when I’m more mentally stable’; a long name, but it made its point clear.

The other [Spells] and [Skills] didn’t change much, outside of sporting a new [Adaptability] under their name, and the other changes I already briefly mentioned.

You have successfully modified a [Skill]:

Unavoidable Detection:

(Skill; scouting; Adaptability)

Highlights desired targets, creates a visible trail of their passage, and pierces through every type of obfuscation technique, regardless of its potency.

Increased effectiveness and accuracy when utilized with Mana.

Capable of changing its approach to avoid anti-Scrying techniques, or have its process remain undetected by adapting to the ambient Mana.

You have successfully modified a [Spell]:

Shamanic Totem of Protection:

(Spell; Totem; construct; Barrier; Adaptability)

Materializes a Totem capable of shielding allied entities within its range, and said shield is capable of adapting to its surrounding, giving the best defense possible to any attack; entities under the effects of its Barrier are subject to a “heal over time” effect that works on both ailments and wounds.

Range and potency of its effects are proportional to the Mana supplied to the Totem.

Durability of the construct is proportional to the Mana used during casting, and its effects will persist after destruction until Dispelled or broken through.

You have successfully modified a [Spell]:

Forceful Metallic Pizza Dispenser:

(Spell; Turret; construct; projectile; Adaptability)

Materializes a Turret capable of launching metallic circular saws at identified targets.

Durability of the construct is proportional to the Mana used during casting.

Speed and material of projectiles proportional to the Mana supplied to the Turret.

Outer-shell defenses and disk’s coating are interchangeable, depending on the Afinnity of the target.

You have successfully modified a [Skill]:

Manakinesis:

(Skill; targeted; Adaptability)

Permits the user to control, at a distance, objects that contain Mana, by influencing its physical being through its ethereal one.

Efficiency, potency, and range proportional to Mana utilized during casting; or it can otherwise be used without Mana at a limited range, and increased mental weight.

Capable of attuning the affected Mana to any desired Affinity.

Honestly, [Manakinesis] sounded completely broken now, and I was already thinking about it could solve my problem with not having an [Affinity] capable of ‘harming directly’.

And yeah, all this [Spell-Weaving] gave a lot of other gains in [Stats]:

Through your actions, you have been awarded +2 [Insight], +3 [Acuity], +5 [Energy], +7 [Will]

And that’s when I felt it, something clicked in my mind… no, in my [Mind].

Congratulation, one of your Statistics reached 100, designing it as your primary Stat.

[Will] reached the [Firtst Tier]: effectiveness doubled across the board.

As the first [Human] to advance a [Tier], you have been awarded a new [Trait]:

Mind over Matter:

Your will is sovereign, and reality bends to it.

Allows the expression of a modicum of control over the surrounding space.

[Tiers].

Sheeno had mentioned them during our spar, and now I knew what a big deal they actually were.

“If the first one allowed me to influence reality, what the fuck would I get on my third!?

…

And isn’t this, like, the third description that makes reference to my [Will] being ‘sovereign’?”

I wanted to immediately test its effects, and not wanting to interfere with any of the [Enchanted] bricks I patted down my pockets in search of anything disposable. Patting my back, I found the decorated knife that Undine had gifted me.

A simple thing, made of steel, and with a beautifully carved handle with motifs resembling rivers.

The first thing I tried to do was something that I could have done even manually: I tried to make it so the handle had been polished, and the blade sharpened.

After a bit of fumbling, I finally felt it happening, with a sharp pang in the back of the head I saw the knife visibly getting better, removing the blemishes it had accumulated through my inexperienced care.

Once I thought it was done I stopped pushing, and my headache made it clear that I couldn’t do anything else of more complicated with this new [Trait] yet. And it was also clear that it wasn’t as overpowered as I thought it was, especially if you considered that I could have done the same much faster, and easier, by simply casting [Repair].

I had no doubts that its general application could be useful when I became stronger, but it was basically useless as of now.

“Bummer…”

Now that you are done playing, do you want the [Information] on [Tiers] that has become available?

“Oh, yeah, shoot.”

Tiers are what one could consider as thresholds into “superhuman” territory, with every superior Tier getting progressively improved from the previous ones, culminating at the [Fifth Tiers], where one can advance only through becoming a Demi-God.

“So it’s exponential, or at least similar in type of growth?”

Every Tier doubles in requirement to tier-up every time it does: So you start a Tier 0, then it becomes Tier 1 at 100, then Second Tier at 200, Third Tier at 400, Fourth Tier at 800, and Fifth Tier at 1600.

Above the “mortal Tiers” is unclear how it works, but it is safe to say that the ratio remains the same.

“So, they double in requirements, while doubling effectiveness… pretty balanced if you think about it. But does that mean every mortal has a cap of 3400 in any given [Stats]?”

You are underestimating how hard it is to reach those numbers, hardly anyone has [Stats] higher than 2.5k, and those that do are already going through the process of becoming a [Demi-God].

“But I gained 80 [Will] in like a week, I just have to keep that up and-“

And you would plateau around 200 in a month because without levels the growth becomes logarithmic, given the absence of acquired [Aether] to use for growth, which means that the gains in Stats are limited by the gains in Levels, and the gains in Levels are limited by how many strong enough Monsters you can kill per day.

As an Adventurer, you can work around this by delving Dungeons, and acquiring large amounts of [Aether] by clearing them, but you have to keep in mind that the [Guild] does not want its workers to burn out, so they will probably limit the amount of [Quests] and [Delves] you can take per week.

“Way to burst my bubble. And here I thought that [Fast learner] would allow me to ‘grind away’ at the problem…”

People have been living with this [System] for thousands of years, and you really thought that finding an “exploit” would be that easy?

“A man can dream, [Buddy]. A man can dream.”

Do not be a drama queen. You were already told that your gains would slow down the more you progressed. You just have to learn to live with it.

“Gne gne gné, gne gne gné, gné gné”, I said outloud, mocking my mental roommate.

“Why are sitting there just repeating ‘gne’?” Asked Sheeno, who must have come back to check on me at some point.

“Gne!?” I turned her way.

“…Is something wrong with your head?” She asked, leaning away from me with a raised eyebrow.

“Probably, but I’ll get over it”, I responded with a shrug.

“I’ll believe it when I see it”, she quipped back, still with a raised eyebrow.

“Gne gne gné to you too then!” I exclaimed imperiously, putting my hands on my hips.

By the look that she gave me, she could have been vaguely amused, but definitely not impressed.